Sennheiser HD820
Aug 15, 2021 at 10:46 AM Post #3,511 of 4,346
Am I the only one here who happens to like all of the above mentioned headphones - hd800, hd800s, hd820 and srh940. The sennheisers are very fit dependent, hd820 being the most sensitive to placement. Can sound disjointed with improper placement. With proper placement it sounds very nice with a lot of weight and effortless detail. I personally found hd800s I listened to at a demo to be brighter than the hd800 i have, while also having more low end grunt to the sound. Srh940 is my favourite of the list. Amazing with live music and binaural and spatially very accurate, sounded as if I it connected directly to the position of the mic.

Nope. I love them and the HD820 as well.
 
Aug 15, 2021 at 3:26 PM Post #3,512 of 4,346
It strikes me as so odd that people come specifically to the thread about a headphone they don't like just to bash it. There are plenty I have disliked that others love, but somehow I've resisted the urge to seek out those threads. What is even more weird are people basing opinions on what other people they know have said and not their own direct experience. I've not heard the 600, but from comments by others and my experience with the 58X and 6XX I know they have a very narrow soundstage. I better hit that thread and tell them so they all know the 600 are junk! Such silliness.
 
Aug 15, 2021 at 4:34 PM Post #3,513 of 4,346
It strikes me as so odd that people come specifically to the thread about a headphone they don't like just to bash it. There are plenty I have disliked that others love, but somehow I've resisted the urge to seek out those threads. What is even more weird are people basing opinions on what other people they know have said and not their own direct experience. I've not heard the 600, but from comments by others and my experience with the 58X and 6XX I know they have a very narrow soundstage. I better hit that thread and tell them so they all know the 600 are junk! Such silliness.
Right? I started my Audio journey with Focals and After venturing into the market, the Focal headphones are my least favorite but you don’t see me bashing Focal, except maybe their reliability on driver failure. From what I’ve tried from Sennheiser (All 800 series) I would put the 820 at the top and although it’s not for everyone I think it sounds the best especially pairing it with tubes. I would never go to the 800/s thread and tell them how the 820 is superior because I enjoy it more.
 
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Aug 15, 2021 at 9:22 PM Post #3,514 of 4,346
So funny how people comment about other people's behavior when they could just as easily ignore it. See how this works? Those of us who have offended the thread could have simply refrained from doing so (maybe we even should have) but just as easily those who have commented on our behavior could have ignored it. And for the record I do have first hand experience with the 820 and I would have loved to have liked them as I have owned and liked the HD600/650 and 800S and have had an HD700 on hand as well so I wanted to like the 820. I probably could have if only the fit wasn't such an issue.

The only possible benefit from people posting such as myself who have not been won over the 820 here in the thread is so that somebody considering buying them on the used market where there is no return possible don't come into a thread where only fans are allowed to post. That means a thread simply becomes an echo chamber. If you have had some experience that is less than ideal with a headphone or other gear you actually should post about it. It helps round out the threads so that it isn't just the fans talking about them.
 
Aug 15, 2021 at 10:30 PM Post #3,515 of 4,346
I have no problem with someone stating their experience and why exactly they didn't like them, as you did, and I agree the sound can change quite a bit based on fit. Your post came across as factual based on your experience and not bashing them or anyone who likes them. I don't find your comment obnoxious and I apologize if you interpreted it that way.

The reference to commenting was primarily to others who haven't owned them, maybe haven't even heard them, yet engage in hostility and insults not only about the headphone but directed at the person who likes them and took a lot of time to evaluate them and share their findings. There have been no shortage of such obnoxious comments. This is literally the only thread of the couple dozen I follow on a few different sites where this phenomenon is so common. I don't think anyone searching for info about the 820 is going to find an echo chamber anywhere where they're only praised. I don't remember saying I was offended, as it takes much, much more than that for me to be offended and honestly can't think of anything one could say about headphones that I'd be offended by unless there was other hateful content unrelated to headphones in the post. Really I'd actually suggest people primarily get the 820 used because they can be re-sold without much of a loss if any, because it is a divisive headphone. I'd also advise most people to choose the 800S over it if they've not heard either because it's less expensive and more universally praised, even though I prefer the 820 to them. I also don't remember saying or suggesting that only fans of the 820 should be allowed to post here.
 
Aug 15, 2021 at 10:46 PM Post #3,516 of 4,346
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I’m a total sideliner here. Meaning I’ve heard the HD800, but not the HD820. So take that for what it’s worth. Still I was very fascinated when the idea of the HD820 came out. Most likely because I love closed-backs. I don’t even really like open-back headphones! I was on this thread before they even came out, basking in the excitement.

But in defense of the headphone, we have people who truly love it. Funny but people key into many different parts of a signature. What is wrong for some..............is actually right for others. All the talk of positioning makes me think that not only is positioning important but that maybe the sound has something to do with the listeners head shape? Not only that but the ear shape and ear canal shape may have a drastic change in how people interested in this headphone ultimately hear it. The list of possibilities relating to results is actually quite big, meaning volume level used, source, music genre and so on.

I vow to give it a go in the future, only because now I’m really curious. Also it may actually be a headphone that is so universally different it takes a few days to truly understand it as natural or not?
 
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Aug 15, 2021 at 11:49 PM Post #3,517 of 4,346
Being a German, I love them…naturally. It’s my second pair and I am going to sell it. Simply because I have other headphones I prefer. But still, it’s a great headphone…just think of it…Gorilla Glas!
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 4:33 AM Post #3,518 of 4,346
As a none german... I also like the 820. Because of the bass. Which my 800S simply leaves me wanting more. It is not the very textured bass like those on high end planars but it has got enough "BOOM bass thick". I love using them on youtube for bass boosted songs. What I do not like about it is the price. They should push it down so that a lot more bassheads can enjoy the "BOOM".
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 5:23 AM Post #3,519 of 4,346
I figured I started all of this, my bad. I just feel that Head-Fi should be able to embrace different viewpoints is all.
So when I see someone saying that Sennheiser has a house sound that encompasses the 6 AND 8 series, I naturally want to counter that with my experience (and just about everyone else I’ve ever met who knows these cans, outside of Head-Fi of course!).
..but I figure Sonic Defender has a point. These threads are nothing more than echo chambers where people either come to compare odes to their headphones or indeed defend the headphone from folks with different tastes.
Yay…
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 6:46 AM Post #3,520 of 4,346
I figured I started all of this, my bad. I just feel that Head-Fi should be able to embrace different viewpoints is all.
So when I see someone saying that Sennheiser has a house sound that encompasses the 6 AND 8 series, I naturally want to counter that with my experience (and just about everyone else I’ve ever met who knows these cans, outside of Head-Fi of course!).
..but I figure Sonic Defender has a point. These threads are nothing more than echo chambers where people either come to compare odes to their headphones or indeed defend the headphone from folks with different tastes.
Yay…
So true, this is more of a place where like minded ears meetup. You can't possibly expect to get a good reception you know. It is like going to a rally for a candidate you don't like.
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 7:01 AM Post #3,521 of 4,346
It strikes me as so odd that people come specifically to the thread about a headphone they don't like just to bash it. There are plenty I have disliked that others love, but somehow I've resisted the urge to seek out those threads. What is even more weird are people basing opinions on what other people they know have said and not their own direct experience. I've not heard the 600, but from comments by others and my experience with the 58X and 6XX I know they have a very narrow soundstage. I better hit that thread and tell them so they all know the 600 are junk! Such silliness.
Well, yes, I understand your sentiments. No one likes a party pooper - we've spent a large chunk of change on a headphone that's, essentially, a personalized object; a culmination of a (rather) long journey, with time spent and money lost. When we visit the various fora, we want to discuss with like-minded folk, people who agree on the benefits and advantages, the ticks and the "yays" of our purchases. Still, (genuine) naysayers have an integral part to play - they offer a contrarian view that others may use as a critical tool to balance the scale of public opinion.

Anyway, as a closed-back headphone fan, the HD 820 didn't wow me as much as I wanted it to. It is not a bad headphone per se, but it certainly didn't engage me in any meaningful way. Nevertheless, the HD 820 has its share of fans; as any well-made product should rightfully have. :)
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 8:41 AM Post #3,522 of 4,346
@robo24, Thanks and no you didn't say that only fans should post here, and I didn't need to interpret the post as directed at me. Looks like I was having a thin-skinned moment. As others have said, I also do get how unpleasant it can be when contrarians come into a thread and start providing dissent. I actually prefer having more positive things to say. I am shocked that Sennheiser put out a model that struggles so much with fit, and at ratings.com they actually noted how variable the bass response in particular can be due to the variation in fit.

Regardless I'm getting off-track here as I am trying to apologize for misconstruing your intent. And in that final little moment of delicious irony that such situations provide us, I could easily have taken my own advice and just ignored any comments made. My bad.
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 4:49 PM Post #3,523 of 4,346
@robo24, Thanks and no you didn't say that only fans should post here, and I didn't need to interpret the post as directed at me. Looks like I was having a thin-skinned moment. As others have said, I also do get how unpleasant it can be when contrarians come into a thread and start providing dissent. I actually prefer having more positive things to say. I am shocked that Sennheiser put out a model that struggles so much with fit, and at ratings.com they actually noted how variable the bass response in particular can be due to the variation in fit.

Regardless I'm getting off-track here as I am trying to apologize for misconstruing your intent. And in that final little moment of delicious irony that such situations provide us, I could easily have taken my own advice and just ignored any comments made. My bad.
No worries at all! When I first posted I did realize because your comment was amidst those others and worried you might think I meant you. I've seen many of your posts and you've struck me a rational, informed and informative, and never hostile.

I've seen the rtings info too and even for my small head I can definitely change the bass especially by moving them around on my head. And If I press them at all, guaranteeing a good seal, they become very bassy. I thought Andrew's review was excellent, really fair, and it seemed he thought he could EQ out much of what he didn't like about them.
 
Aug 16, 2021 at 9:05 PM Post #3,524 of 4,346
No worries at all! When I first posted I did realize because your comment was amidst those others and worried you might think I meant you. I've seen many of your posts and you've struck me a rational, informed and informative, and never hostile.

I've seen the rtings info too and even for my small head I can definitely change the bass especially by moving them around on my head. And If I press them at all, guaranteeing a good seal, they become very bassy. I thought Andrew's review was excellent, really fair, and it seemed he thought he could EQ out much of what he didn't like about them.
Glad to hear it. Especially as I have noticed the last 6 months or so I have been far crankier than I have ever been and it tends to seep out even when I really don't want it to be. I'll chalk it up to Pandemic Isolation Nervosa! Anyway, I am glad that I didn't get too Medieval on the thread. Shame that when I had the 820 on hand I couldn't get a proper seal as I likely have not at all heard their true capability. I still expect I might have preferred the 800S but with a proper seal, who knows, the 820 might have won me over. Cheers.
 
Sep 3, 2021 at 7:37 PM Post #3,525 of 4,346
Didn't like the 820 at all. Couldn't get a good fit (only headphone that ever caused me that problem). Even when I held the cups tight to my ears the bass was pretty sad. Sterile, kind of Grado Prestige style bass. Not for me, and not for the money the 820 sells for.
Yep. The sort of sound signature you get will depend a lot on the size and shape of your head. Not good.
 

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